SOUTHBRIDGE CLUB v. VETERANS.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 925, 8 July 1891, Page 2

SOUTHBRIDGE CLUB v. VETERANS.

" Yes, we'ra boys always playing with feet or with pen, And I sometimes have asked, shall we ever be men ? Shall wo al*'ayM he vnuthful, and laughing, and giy ? . •Tiu _ vbore's to our boyhood, its gold and its grey 1" On Saturday last at.;.Southbridge af very important and interesting -football mutch, illustrative of how she nsed to ba played—'Certainly not ho* she ought to be played —took place between a team of local Veterans and 'Me Southbridge

Club. The Veterans rolled np stout and si rong, m n'l .varieties of colour? and costumes, and presented a very imposing, if not prepossessing. npp"ur>inre m the field. Tlw Club had n good lean on paper, bnt ns usual they <li 1 not all turn up nt the advertised time, which was prob bly an arrangement ti rhi 1 ' Ihe edge of <\\ < >mpatient veterans, who wnre captained by Mr C. 11. Willis. The Club having lost the toss, kicked off, and quickly carrio 1 the ball to the vicinity of the ancients' goal lino being at some distanco followed by the straggling crowd of veterans. However, on all parties reaching tho ball a very determined struggle took place for it, bnt Brady eventually got possession of the coveted prize and after n short run obtained a try near the goal posts, which be easily converted to the major point After the kick off, play was again resumed, convenient to the Veterans' twenty-fives, with nice litt'e pieces of play occurring, especially heavy play by the aged, who showed themselves strong m tho scrummages and very deft m disturbing the balance of their opponents. On fche play getting a little bit loose Walker obtained the boll and potted a goal very neal!) , By a very big effort the All Aged representatives took the ball to the Club's goal line and ought to have scored but tbat their opponents were a bit too smart. 13 verv one now thought half time should be called and unanimously decided so. On resuming play the veterans ably and bodily by a few brilliant runs on the part of C. Willis and Vigors, and several dvibblmga showin? bow these players must have excelled m the clays of old, carried the ball well up the field, and encouraged by the yells and exhortations of the spectator vainly made a detertermined effort to score. The ball went back «md here a pick up out of scrum (at least so the Veterans thought), was run m by the Club and a try obtained, which resulted m nothing. Again the ball went up the field, and here at the twenty five flag by a neat throw out of touch the Doctor grasped the ball, and with a wild and heroic effort to reach the goal line he set out, but the fates decreed otherwise and what might have been a try, ended m a discomfilure. Following the ball all over the field, the Veterans' backs playing forward and the forwards playing back, some pretty play was observable, neithet side gaining much. The rabbiting abilities of the older players, the picking out of scrums and pushing powers Yrere now very raanU fest and worthy of a better fate. A throw forward from McMillan to Brady, enabled the latter player to run m near the touch line, but no goal was obtained . Having now played nearly two hours, at least one would have thought so from the appearance of the Veterans, it was decided to close the match, which the plucky Veterans lost by 2 goals and 2 tries (8 points) with the consolation that it was not as bad as the last time. Mr Todd occasionally umpired and refereed for both teams. In the evening the Old Boys looked for a smoke concert, but did not see it.